Motorclassica celebrates 100 years of Maserati ... and much more

Thousands of auto enthusiasts flocked to the Royal Exhibition building in Melbourne, Australia, over the weekend for Motorclassica 2014. Adding to the drawing power of the event was the celebration of Maserati's 100th anniversary, which saw the display of iconic gems plucked from the Italian automaker's famed history. Gizmag was among those keen to feast their eyes on the collection of rare and classic vehicles on show.

The three-day event incorporated the Australian Concours d'Elegance with more than 100 vintage cars and motorcycles on display. Among those were a 1948 Mercury 89M Convertible, widely regarded as one of Ford's greatest cars, a 1959 Cadilliac Series 62 Convertible complete with trademark tail fins, and a 105-year-old Renault AX.

On the Saturday night, the event featured the annual Motorclassica Auction, which saw 30 collectibles up for grabs. AUD$1,060,000 (US$929,500) was paid for a Bentley R-Type Continental, the only one of its kind to enter Australia. Other notable sales included a 1956 356A Porsche Speedster for AUD$235,000 (US$206,00) and a 1936 Cord 810 sportsman's Convertible Coupe.

All of the vehicles were meticulously restored and beautifully presented in what was a stunning showcase of automotive history and craftsmanship. With that said, words probably won't quite do it justice. You can click through to our gallery to check out our picks from the event.

The 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Coupe was a hand-built muscle car that catered to the homologating rules of Nascar, meaning that in order to qualify as a stock car a it had to be publicly available and a certain minimum needed to be sold (Photo: Nick Lavars/Gizmag)